MID-CYCLE REPORT
District: North Reading Public Schools
MCR Onsite Dates: 02/05/2018 - 02/06/2018
Program Area: Special Education
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORTSE Criterion # 2 - Required and optional assessments
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that the district consistently completes educational assessments, including a history of the student's educational progress in the general curriculum and teacher assessment that addresses attention skills, participation behaviors, communication skills, memory and social relations with groups, peers and adults.
SE Criterion # 4 - Reports of assessment results
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records indicated that assessment summaries consistently include the procedures employed, the evaluator's diagnostic impressions of the student, a description of the student's needs in educationally relevant and common terms, andexplicit means of meeting these needs.
SE Criterion # 6 - Determination of transition services
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that Transition Planning Forms (TPFs) are consistently updated annually. Record review also demonstrated that all sections of the TPFs are consistently completed, including the post-secondary vision and disability- related needs sections.
SE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student participation and consent at the age of majority
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that, at least one year prior to the student reaching age 18, the district does not consistently inform the student and the parent of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the student upon the student's 18th birthday.
Record review also indicated that the district does not consistently obtain consent from students with shared decision-making rights to continue their special education program once the student reaches 18 years of age. Record review demonstrated that consent was not obtained by some adult students for up to two months after turning 18.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Review those student records for the 2017-2018 school year in which the district did not inform students and their parent/guardians at least one year before the student turned 18 of the educational decision-making rights that will transfer from the parent/guardian to the student upon the student's 18th birthday. Based on this root cause analysis, indicate the specific corrective actions the district will take to remedy the non-compliance and a timeline for implementation of those corrective actions.
In addition, review those records for the 2017-2018 school year in which a student with shared decision-making rights turned 18 and the district did not obtain the adult student's consent to continue the special education program. Based on this root cause analysis, indicate the specific corrective actions the district will take to remedy the non-compliance and a timeline for implementation of those corrective actions.
Develop a report of the results of an internal review of records of students who are 17, subsequent to implementation of all corrective actions, to ensure that the district informs students and their parent/guardians at least one year before the student turns 18 of the rights that will transfer from the parent/guardian to the student upon the student's 18th birthday.
Develop a report of the results of an internal review of records of students who have turned 18, subsequent to implementation of all corrective actions, to ensure that the district obtains the adult student's consent to continue the special education program when he or she has shared educational decision-making rights.
*Please note when conducting internal monitoring the district must maintain the following documentationand make it available to the Department upon request:
a) list of student names and grade levels for the records reviewed; b) date of the review; and c) name of person(s) who conducted the review, their role(s) and signature(s).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit the results of the root cause analyses that include a description of the district's proposed corrective actions, the timeline for implementation, and the person(s) responsible by May 21, 2018.
Submit the results of the internal reviews of student records and include the following:
1. the number of records reviewed;
2. the number of records in compliance;
3. for any records not in compliance, determine the root cause; and
4. the specific corrective actions taken to remedy the non-compliance.
Please submit the above information by October 19, 2018.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
05/21/2018 / 10/19/2018
SE Criterion # 9 - Timeline for determination of eligibility and provision of documentation to parent
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records indicated that within forty-five (45) school working days after receipt of the parent's written consent to an initial evaluation or a re-evaluation, the district does not consistently determine, at all levels,whether the student is eligible for special education and provide to the parent either a proposed IEP and proposed placement or a written explanation of the finding of no eligibility.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Review those student records for the 2017-2018 school year in which an initial or re-evaluation occurred and the district did not determine whether the student was eligible for special education within forty-five (45) school working days after receipt of the parent's written consent and provide to the parent the proposed IEP and placement or a written explanation of the finding of no eligibility. Analyze the information to determine the root cause(s) of the non-compliance. Based on this root cause analysis, indicate the specific corrective actions the district will take to remedy the non-compliance and a timeline for implementation of those corrective actions.
Develop a report of the results of an internal review of records of students,in which an initial evaluation or re-evaluation occurred,subsequent to implementationof all corrective actions, to ensure that within forty-five (45) school working days after receipt of the parent's written consentthe district determines whether the student is eligible for special education and provides to the parent either a proposed IEP and proposed placement or a written explanation of the finding of no eligibility.
*Please note when conducting internal monitoring the district must maintain the following documentation and make it available to the Department upon request:
a) list of student names and grade levels for the records reviewed; b) date of the review; and c) name of person(s) who conducted the review, their role(s) and signature(s).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit the results of the root cause analysis that includes a description of the district's proposed corrective actions, the timeline for implementation, and the person(s) responsible by May 21, 2018.
Submit the results of the internal review of student records and include the following:
1. the number of records reviewed;
2. the number of records in compliance;
3. for any records not in compliance, determine the root cause; and
4. the specific corrective actions taken to remedy the non-compliance.
Please submit the above information by October 19, 2018.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
05/21/2018 / 10/19/2018
SE Criterion # 13 - Progress Reports and content
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that progress reports, including those at the middle and high school levels, are provided at least as often as parents are informed of the progress of non-disabled students and consistently address student progress towards IEP goals.
A review of student records and staff interviews demonstrated that when a student's eligibility terminates because the student has graduated from secondary school or exceeded the age of eligibility, the district provides the student with a summary of his or her academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting his or her postsecondary goals.
SE Criterion # 14 - Review and revision of IEPs
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records indicated that at least annually, on or before the anniversary date of the IEP, a Team meeting is held to consider the student's progress and to review, revise, or develop a new IEP or refer the student for a re-evaluation, as appropriate.Staff interviews indicated that IEP Teams consistently review and revise IEPs to address any lack of expected student progress towards the annual goals and in the general curriculum.
Record review and staff interviews also indicated that if the district and parent agree to make changes to a student's IEP between annual meetings, the Team is reconvened to amend the IEP. Parents are advised that they may request a complete copy of the amended IEP.
SE Criterion # 18A - IEP development and content
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that upon determining that the student is eligible for special education, IEP Teams consistently address all elements of the current IEP format provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including vision statements, goals and benchmarks, and service delivery grids that accurately reflect the student’s goals. Staff interviews indicated that the IEP is not changed outside of the Team meeting.
A review of student records also indicated that IEP Teams specifically address the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing for students whose disability affects social skills development, when the student's disability makes him or her vulnerable to bullying, harassment or teasing, and for students identified with a disability on the autism spectrum. A review of student records indicated that IEP Teams document their considerations of the skills and proficiencies needed by students in the Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP) B, in goals/benchmarks,and in the Additional Information sections of the IEP.
SE Criterion # 20 - Least restrictive program selected
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records indicated that IEP Teams do not consistently state why the removal from the general education classroom is critical to the student's program and the basis for its conclusion that education of the student in a less restrictive environment, with the use of supplementary aids and services, could not be achieved satisfactorily.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Provide training for IEP Team chairpersons on writing Nonparticipation Justification statements that consistently indicate why the removal from the general education classroom is considered critical to a student's program, along with the basis for the Team’s conclusion that education of the student in a less restrictive environment, with the use of supplementary aids and services, could not be achieved satisfactorily.
Develop an internal oversight and tracking system to ensure that IEP Teams develop appropriate Nonparticipation Justification statements. The oversight system should include periodic reviews by an administrator to ensure ongoing compliance.
Develop a report of the results of an internal review of student records, in which IEP development occurred subsequent to implementation of all corrective actions, to ensure that IEP Teams appropriately justify the removal of students from general education classrooms.
*Please note when conducting internal monitoring the district must maintain the following documentation and make it available to the Department upon request:
a) list of student names and grade levels for the records reviewed; b) date of the review; and c) name of person(s) who conducted the review, their role(s) and signature(s).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit evidence of Team chairperson training, including name of presenter, agenda, and signed attendance sheet with staff name, role and signature by May 21, 2018.
Submit a description of the district’s internal oversight and tracking system by May 21, 2018.
Submit the results of the internal review of student records and include the following:
1. the number of records reviewed;
2. the number of records in compliance;
3. for any records not in compliance, determine the root cause; and
4. the specific corrective actions taken to remedy the non-compliance.
Please submit the above information by October 19, 2018.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
05/21/2018 / 10/19/2018
SE Criterion # 24 - Notice to parent regarding proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of FAPE
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records indicated that the district’s Noticeof Proposed School District Action (N1) consistently provides a description of each evaluation procedure, test, record, or report the district used as a basis for the proposed or refused action; and a description of any factors relevant to the district's proposal or refusal.
SE Criterion # 26 - Parent participation in meetings
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
The district provided its special education student roster as requested by the Department.
SE Criterion # 41 - Age span requirements
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of documents and staff interviews indicated that the ages of the youngest and oldest students in the high school's special education instructional groups, including all periods of Life Skills and Academic Support, do not differ by more than 48 months.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Office of Public School Monitoring
North Reading Mid-Cycle Report - 03/28/2018
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